With thanks to Jon
Sunday PEOPLE
25 May 2008
FIX A FAMILY.. FIND A CHILD 100,000 UK parents each year endure pain of a lost child. Please help them..
Byline: By BETHANY USHER
MORE than 100,000 parents across Britain will this year face the heartbreak of a beloved son or daughter vanishing without trace.
Madeleine McCann's mum and dad Kate and Gerry know exactly how that feels - but they are not the only ones.
Each day, a child disappears every five minutes in the UK.
Most are found within hours but the figure of lost ones is still shocking.
And today The People marks International Missing Children's Day.
Children's Day is a holiday in many countries around the world. International Children's Day
The International Children's Day (ICD) is celebrated in numerous countries, usually (but not always) on June 1 each year. by turning the spotlight on to some of the most heartrending cases.
The toll includes thousands from minority communities - who are often in Britain illegally. Noone knows exactly how many of them are now being held against their will.
And no one can tell how many have been kidnapped by slave-traders, pimps and paedophiles - or taken overseas by relatives.
Lady Catherine Meyer, head of the Parents and Abducted Children Together charity, is leading nationwide calls for a government agency to be set up to oversee the hunt for lost kids.
Lady Catherine whose first husband abducted two of their sons - said: "The simple truth is we do not know how many are missing in this country at the moment because no one has ultimate responsibility for the situation.
"There are a lot of different organisations who do a lot of good work helping to find them and supporting their families.
"But the Government must do more to co-ordinate these efforts."
If YOU recognise any of the youngsters featured on these pages - or if you want to check out other cases of missing children - visit
http://www.missingkids.org.uk And anyone with information can call the NPIA Missing Persons Bureau on 0808 100 8777.
……………………….......
LILLIAN LYUSTIGER
MISSING DATE: November 4 2005
AGE WENT MISSING: 2
AGE NOW: 4
LILLIAN was abducted by her father and grandmother and there are fears she may have been taken to the USA. Her anguished 27-year-old mother Natalija said at her home in Belsize Park
"I just want my little girl back. I am desperate for ANY information about where Lillian is now."
………………………….
SARAH BENFORD
MISSING DATE: March 31 2000
AGE WENT MISSING: 14
AGE NOW: 22
SARAH disappeared from a children's home in Northampton where she had been staying after arguments at home. Police have investigated whether she was murdered but her body has not been found and no one has been charged. Her grandmother June Black, 54, said:
"As time goes by it just gets worse every day."
Sarah's mum Vicki added: "I would like to get closure without forgetting about Sarah."
…………………….......
SANDY DAVIDSON
MISSING DATE: April 22 1976
AGE WENT MISSING: 4
AGE NOW: 35
Sandy Jardine Davidson was born on 28 May, 1972. He was abducted on 23 April, 1976 from his grandmother's home in Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland.
The three-year-old was in the care of his grandmother, who lived in the Bourtreehill area of the town, when he and his younger sister Donna. SANDY vanished as he searched for the family dog in Irvine, Ayrshire, with sister Donna - who was so shocked she can't remember what happened. Donna had hypnosis in a bid to recall the fateful day and said:
"I saw Sandy going away with a man. I'd like to think he was brought up as their child and had a good life - but the chances are slim."
…………………......
PAIGE CHIVERS
MISSING DATE: August 23 2007
AGE WENT MISSING: 15
AGE NOW: 16
PAIGE was last seen with friends in Blackpool after leaving the home she shared with father Frank and brother Jack. At the time, she was shattered by the death of her mum from a heart attack. Frank said:
"The worse thing is not knowing. If Paige is out there, we would like her to get in touch. We just want to know what happened to her."
…………………….................................
DAVID SPENCER & PATRICK WARREN
MISSING DATE: December 26 1996
AGE WENT MISSING: 13 and 11
AGE NOW: 25 and 23
THE boys were last seen near their homes in Chelmsley Wood
David's mum Christine said:
"If he's dead I need to know where he is so I can bury him and have somewhere to grieve."
And Patrick's dad Derek said:
"We don't know whether he's alive or has been harmed, but we can't come to terms with anything until we know what happened."
…………………....
WAYNE YATES
MISSING DATE: March 13 2007
AGE WENT MISSING: 15
AGE NOW: 16
WAYNE failed to return to his residence from school in Canning Town , last year.
Police believe he could still be drifting around the area or could be in Essex where he had contacts. Troubled Wayne was in the care of social services social services
at the time of his disappearance.
………………………………......................
JOHN RODGERS & THOMAS SPENCE
MISSING DATE: November 27 1974
AGE WENT MISSING: 13 and 11
AGE NOW: 46 and 44
JOHN was last seen waiting for his bus to school on the Falls Road in Belfast at 8am along with Thomas Spence, who is also missing. John's mum Alice said:
"John was so loving. We would sing songs together. I miss him very much. We just wish we knew what had happened to the boys. It plays on our minds every day."
……………………......
JAIME CHEESMAN
MISSING DATE: November 3 1993
AGE WENT MISSING: 16
AGE NOW: 31
JAIME had been staying with friends in Grimsby, Lincs, when she stormed out after an argument. She did not take her belongings and has not been seen since.
Friend Sarah Jackson said:
"Just let us know you are OK, Jaime.
"We just want to know what has happened to you and that you are still all right.""
………………………........
CHARLENE DOWNES
MISSING DATE: November 1 2003
AGE WENT MISSING: 14
AGE NOW: 19
CHARLENE was last seen on Blackpool's North Pier. Police fear she has been murdered. Mum Karen said:
"I still buy her Christmas presents, birthday presents - every year I waited for her. Because she's going to come back one day - she's going to walk through that door. I've still got that belief."
…………………....
MARK GARVEY
MISSING DATE: March 2 1987
AGE WENT MISSING: 15
AGE NOW: 36
MARK disappeared after a row with his girlfriend in Bootle, Merseyside, and has not been in touch with his family since. He told his family he was going to a local bus stop but he never returned home. Mark's desperate parents have spent 20 years waiting for news of him.
Police have commissioned an age progression picture to show how he may look now.
………………………......
MAKEBA SHEPPARD
MISSING DATE: January 17 2007
AGE WENT MISSING: 14
AGE NOW: 15
MAKEBA was last seen in Islington, north London, with a man known to police as Jemal Benn - which could be an alias. Although Makeba has gone missing before, she has never disappeared for this length of time. It is believed she might be in London or Hertfordshire. PC Scott Roney said:
"Her family are growing more and more worried."
……………………………........
SIGOURNEY CHISHOLM
MISSING DATE: May 15 1993
AGE WENT MISSING: 18 months
AGE NOW: 16
SIGOURNEY went missing in Toronto, Canada, and is believed to have been brought to the UK by her mother Patricia O'Byrne. Sigourney's dad Joe Chisholm, 47, who lives in Canada, said:
"I know Patricia loves her but our daughter has left behind me, her half-brother, loving grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins."
…………………....
BEN NEEDHAM
MISSING DATE: July 24 1991
AGE WENT MISSING: 21 months
AGE NOW: 18
BEN went missing from a villa in Kos, Greece, while on holiday with his mother and grandparents. Ben's mother Kerry, of Sheffield, said:
"The most important aspect that matters to me and to all our family is what kind of a life Ben has had during the past 16 years. We are desperate for any information about him."
…………………….....
MAYA MAHMOUD
MISSING DATE: March 24 2007
AGE WENT MISSING: 10 months
AGE NOW: 2
MAYA was the subject of a care order and was living with her grandmother in Doncaster when she was snatched by her parents Nivenn Mahmoud and Glen Gerber and taken to Malaga, Spain. Her grandmother who asked not to be named said: "I miss her so much."
……………………......
DAMIEN NETTLES
MISSING DATE: November 2 1996
AGE WENT MISSING: 16
AGE NOW: 27
DAMIEN was last seen in a takeaway restaurant in Cowes, Isle of Wight
Despite repeated police appeals several witnesses in the restaurant have yet to come forward. Mum Valerie said:
"I can only think that someone has done something to my son. I have never thought he ran away. I am desperate to know what happened."
…………………….....
ALLA MANAKOVA
MISSING DATE: March 24 2000
AGE WENT MISSING: 9
AGE NOW: 18
ALLA went missing when she was just nine from Streatham, South London.
She is originally from Russia and spoke very little English at the time of her disappearance. Police believe she may have been seen with an older man shortly afterwards. She could be using the alias surname of Pinyakova.
……………………….......
DANIEL ENTWISTLE
MISSING DATE: May 3 2003
AGE WENT MISSING: 7
AGE NOW: 12
Daniel went missing from his Great Yarmouth home at 5pm =on a May Bank Holiday weekend. He was last seen by his parents David and Paula. David said:
"Nobody knows what's gone on in Paula's head and mine. He's our little boy and we want him back. If any one remembers anything please get in touch with the police."
………………………………................
JAMES & JONATHAN PATERSON
MISSING DATE: December 20 2000
AGE WENT MISSING: 10 and 12
AGE NOW: 18 and 19
JAMES and his brother Jonathan failed to return from a paternal visit arranged by social services. The brothers' father James Snr had been given permission to see them near home in Glasgow. It is feared that James Snr used the opportunity to take the boys out of the country.
…………………….......
ANDREW GOSDEN
MISSING DATE: September 14 2007
AGE WENT MISSING: 14
AGE NOW: 14
ACADEMICALLY gifted Andrew set off for his school in Doncaster but instead took a train to London.
Devastated parents Glynis and Kevin are struggling to understand why. Kevin said: "Andrew, we love you and care about you. You have left a huge gap in our lives. We want you back but we also want to know you're OK. Even if you don't want to come back, please let us know you're well."
…………………………......
MADELEINE McCANN
MISSING DATE: May 3 2007
AGE WENT MISSING: 3
AGE NOW: 5
MADELEINE, from Rothley, Leics, was taken from her bed in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz Praia da Luz (pron. IPA /pɾaiɐdɐ'luʃ/, "Beach of Light") is a resort located about 6km from Lagos in the Algarve, Portugal.
It is a holiday destination drawing visitors mainly from Portugal, Britain, France and Germany. , Portugal.
No trace of her has been found despite an unprecedented worldwide appeal.
Madeleine's distraught mother Kate said:
"We beg you to let Madeleine come home. We need our Madeleine. Please give our little girl back."
